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Monday, January 24, 2011

This weekend I decided the time had come. So I grabbed book one, slapped it in its face and told it what was up. Yes. Sometimes I'm a bit violent with books.

I have to say I feel much better now.

Thirty pages in and everything is working! (Perhaps I should have whispered that)

Now revisions are fun and all but sometimes they feel like someone (who hates you) has stolen every aspect of your life, ripped each thing into tiny pieces and then when you're standing there with your head all stupid and confused they inform you that for the next few days you will have to reassemble each thing into one gigantic jigsaw puzzle.

And that's what I willingly decided to do this weekend.

Me Top Five Tips on how to keep from hitting the delete button once and for all and instead arriving at the part where you type, The End. Oh, yes. The two most alluring words in a writer's vocabulary.

So. Here we go.

1. Good musicYou knew that was coming, didn't you? Finding the perfect writing music is always a challenge but once you find it you will know. Right now I can't stop listening to Jonsi Go Live. I listen to it so often my husband may have to delete it right off my iPod. But wait. Why would he do that? That's mean.

2. CandyIt's not just me, people! Candy helps you write! Everyone knows that. And the best part is you get to choose your candy! Some people swear by chocolate, while others enjoy chewy candy like gummy peaches or apples. Personally, as long as it's not black licorice I'm down with any candy.

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3. Long ShowersIt's important to be clean and all but mostly I find I do some of my best brainstorming while taking a shower.

4. Take A WalkI love long walks on the beach but right now it's like -200 degrees outside. So I walk on my treadmill. Music + Walking = Mucho BrainstormingAnd it helps you be healthy! See! Writing makes you healthy!

5. Sleep Or No SleepYou would think that getting enough sleep would be essential to a revision. But you would think wrong. You see, sleep is important and all but when you're in the middle of a scene and you can't get the MC to do what you want them to do without banging your head against a wall and cursing your supportive husband for thinking you're actually a good writer and encouraging you to keep writing, you may have to choose to not sleep when true inspiration strikes, like in the middle of the night or just as you're about to crawl into bed after not sleeping for three straight days. So, yeah. Sleep when you can.